What Makes A 'Proclamation Coin'?

Over the past few years I've seen many many different coins referred to as 'Proclamation Coins'

I can understand that various silver coinage was used for barter in the early days of Australian colonisation from many different countries, such as:

Portugal Johanna gold 12,800 reis
Portugal half Johanna (Brazil) 1706-1750
Carolus III Spanish/South American silver Ocho Reales ('pieces of eight')
Britain Cartwheel copper penny
Dutch ship guilders (Batavia)
Louis d/Or (France)
Thaler Germany
Escudo Mexico
Rupee India
etc etc etc etc etc

So, any currency circulating in Australia I guess can be called 'Proclamation Coin'-age - but doesn't that mean that without tangible provenance one can call any metal coinage from say 1650 onwards 'Proclamation'? I only ask because I've seen quite a few Feebay listings with this title, and I'm thinking much of what's there is genuine antique, but to tag it with that connection to early Aus seems pretty tenuous?

Where's Thucydides when I need him lol?!?

Any thoughts/comment appreciated

Cheers,
VRS

 

In the front of mcdonalds Australian coins there is a list of coins and their value as used as proclamation coins. I'm out now but can post later if know one else has beaten me to it

 

I think the proclamation was quite specific in which coins could be used as legal tender, and there weren't that many of them.

What is interesting is that a coin which has never been to Australia and never circulated as currency can be sold as a proclamation coin because it is the same as one mentioned in the proclamation.

 

quite right.. proving provenance is quite different to being of the few coins that make up this group of coins that circulated during this period.

To me its just that it could of been, because proving it would most probably not be possible.. ie: stored from those days and taken out of aussie circulation OR imported a 8 reales that was one on ebay.com from a guy in UK .. at the end of the day its the same coin.

obviously a holey dollar/ dump would be proof .. that's about it though

1for1

 

Without looking elsewhere my understanding of a proclamtion coin is that it is a type of coin which was used in conjunction with the coinage of the land.
They were currency coins from other nations which were deemed as acceptable currency by the people and then (perhaps) the govt or vice versa.
Only used due to a lack of / shortage currency (coins) in the newly developing land.

As with many things in life I could be wrong!

 

There was an actual official Government "Proclamation" stipulating exactly what coins were to be used and their equivalent in English currency.

Under the decree of 19 November 1800 by the governor Philip Gidley King, the following coins were legal tender for the exchange value of:

Guinea = 1/1/- (One pound and one shilling)
Gold Mohur = 1/17/6 (one pound, 17 shillings and sixpence).
Spanish dollar = 5 shillings.
Ducat = 9/6 (9 shillings 6 pence).
Rupee = 2/6 (2 shillings and 6 pence).
Pagoda = 8/- (8 shillings).
Dutch Guilder = 2/- (2 shillings).
English shilling = 1/1 (1 shilling and 1 penny).
Copper coin of 1 oz = 2 pence.[2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coins_of_Australia

This replaced trade tokens, shin plasters and rum

 

I always thought the set consisted of 11 coins?

On 19th November, 1800, a Proclamation in the following terms was issued by Governor King:

Source: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]=Summary&prodno=1301.0&issue=1965&num=&view=

 

Could be, I would have to find my copy of McDonalds to double check, I don't have any of my own to check sadly.

 

There is an expert here who may chime in. There is a book called "The coinage of colonial Australia" it gives an overview with some good references but may not completely answer your questions.

http://www.sterlingcurrency.com.au/items/coinage-colonial-australia-book

http://www.sterlingcurrency.com.au/proclamation-and-colonial-coins